Wolf-Raised Cub with a Space: Surviving the Disaster Years

Hearing how serious it was, Shen Ningning immediately furrowed her cute, fuzzy brows.

"The mad scholar always likes to read through the night, often without lighting a lamp. Does that have something to do with this?"

"Not much. The most important factor is an old ailment that never healed properly." The pharmacy manager said, then asked tentatively, "Miss, should I still prescribe medicine to treat him?"

He had just seen the mad scholar’s expression.

The man clearly didn’t seem like a cooperative patient. The pharmacy manager wasn’t surprised; it was common for some patients to avoid doctors and treatment.

Shen Ningning nodded without hesitation. "Treat him, of course we have to treat him! Grandpa Shopkeeper, please go prepare the medicine. I’ll give you the medicine silver for him."

The pharmacy manager quickly waved his hands, insisting it wasn’t necessary.

"For the medicine for that noble person in the palace, I still have to rely heavily on you, Miss. This is just a small favor. How could I possibly accept money?"

Though he said that, Shen Ningning still took the small pouch from her waist and placed it directly in his hand.

"There are twenty taels of broken silver inside. Use this for now. I’ll give you more later."

"These are two different matters. We can’t mix them up," the little girl said firmly.

The pharmacy manager didn’t refuse again and went to prepare the medicine.

Shen Ningning walked into the room. The mad scholar was already sitting up.

"I have to go back to my studies," he said.

With a wave of her small hand, Shen Ningning signaled for Chen Ye to hold him down.

"Mad scholar, just sit still for now. Wait until Grandpa Shopkeeper finishes preparing the medicine and we’ve applied it to your eyes, then you can go back."

"What?" The mad scholar was resistant. "I know the state of my own eyes. I don’t want treatment, and you shouldn’t trouble yourself over it."

He tried to leave, but Chen Ye’s large hand was pressed firmly on his shoulder, making it impossible to break free.

Shen Ningning sat in the chair opposite the mad scholar, her small arms crossed and a proud look on her face.

"Not getting treatment is not an option. If your eyes go bad, you won’t be able to read books clearly anymore. Who will teach me then?"

The mad scholar lowered his head in silence.

Finally, he raised his head again and said in a firm tone, "How about this. I’ll agree to treat my eyes, but you have to promise me one thing."

"What is it?"

"At the end of this year, the National Academy will hold its entrance exam. I want you to take it and get into the National Academy with the top score in Guangyang County."

Shen Ningning was surprised to hear this, her small mouth forming an "O." "Huh?!"

Every year, in every county, countless students from all the private schools and academies would register to try and test into the National Academy.

Shen Ningning had once heard Mr. Huang say that nearly three thousand students applied every year.

However, the final number of accepted students never exceeded three, and sometimes, there were none at all.

The National Academy—without connections or a network, it was extremely difficult to get in!

Even Chen Ye frowned. "I heard that the youngest students at the National Academy are at least seven years old. Miss Shen is only... Isn’t this asking a bit too much of her?"

The mad scholar’s demeanor was calm, his tone light. "She can do it. What she has learned so far, along with her intelligence, already surpasses half of the students at the National Academy."

"I have faith in her." He looked at Shen Ningning, his eyes still misty. "Do you agree?"

Shen Ningning silently played with the hair by her ear with her small hand, not answering for the moment.

’The National Academy feels so distant to me.’

’It’s a place where even Grandpa County Magistrate had to pull strings just to let me study. Could I really get in just by taking an exam?’

The mad scholar spoke slowly. "You don’t have to agree. I’m teaching you not because I want you to become famous and successful."

"I just hope you can have a better future, instead of being trapped in this small mountain village. Do you understand?"

Getting into the National Academy would change everything.

Shen Ningning was the most intelligent and talented child he had ever taught.

After a moment, Shen Ningning nodded firmly and agreed at once. "Okay!"

’It’s just the National Academy. I’ll know once I give it a try.’

"Mad scholar, you have to promise me too that you’ll properly treat your eyes."

"It’s a deal. As your teacher, I never make empty promises."

Shen Ningning had the mad scholar stay temporarily in her village house, entrusting Chen Ye to help take care of him.

The pharmacy manager wrote out a prescription. "Miss Shen, I’ll have someone deliver these medicines later."

"By the way, regarding the six catties of Aconite you gave me last time, Miss Shen, I’ve converted it into a nine-hundred-tael silver note. If you need to exchange it for Silver, just come and find me."

Shen Ningning thanked him.

Then she asked, "How long will it take to cure the mad scholar’s eyes?"

The pharmacy manager pondered. "It’s a long process, but you should see results in three months. His vision won’t be so misty anymore. But to completely cure it will likely take a full year."

Shen Ningning made a mental note and nodded. "I understand."

The mad scholar was very happy that Shen Ningning was willing to take the initiative to test into the National Academy.

Right after applying the medicinal compress that afternoon, he sat up, insisting on listening to the little girl read aloud even with his eyes closed.

After she finished reading, he had her start practicing her calligraphy.

The mad scholar rummaged through a cabinet in his house and pulled out many dusty calligraphy copybooks that looked quite old.

But when the pages were opened, the characters inside were clear, the ink flowing smoothly.

The script was like knotted pine, possessing an innate structural elegance.

The mad scholar gave the copybooks to Shen Ningning and told her to practice by copying them.

"If you can master this script, you’re halfway to success," he said.

While Shen Ningning was practicing, Chen Ye glanced over her shoulder.

He picked up a spare copybook and said quizzically, "This script... I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before."

By then, the mad scholar had already fallen asleep after his treatment. Shen Ningning was studying by lamplight, exceptionally focused.

Hearing this, the little girl didn’t even look up. "Where did you see it?"

"In the General’s tent. He said it was the work of a great calligraphy master, with each character worth a fortune. What was that person’s name... Hiss, I really can’t remember." Chen Ye scratched his head.

Shen Ningning gave a sweet smile. "The mad scholar is a bibliophile. He has all sorts of good books at home. Maybe this is just part of his collection."

Chen Ye thought that made sense and put the copybook down.

As the night grew deep, the Black Wolf King let out a couple of soft howls, and Shen Ningning would follow it home to sleep, returning to the village to study the next day. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Shen Ningning kept this up for four or five days.

During the day, she would study in the house while the mad scholar, with cotton gauze wrapped over his eyes for his treatment, paced beside her with his hands behind his back, listening to her read.

At times he would instruct her on certain points of knowledge, and at other times he would give her hands-on guidance as she practiced her calligraphy.

He taught earnestly, and she, of course, studied diligently.

The only problem was that the mad scholar himself would sometimes forget to eat or sleep, and the little girl would often forget to eat along with him.

This angered the Black Wolf King, who would often stand up and forcefully pin the mad scholar down with its paws.

However, the mad scholar never got angry.

Each time, he would just get up, dust off his robes, and say calmly, "You go eat. I’ll think about what to teach you next."

The villagers were even livelier these past few days. Every household was harvesting fruit to be sent off and boiled into syrup.

Happy shouts from the villagers could be heard from one end of the village to the other.

The thought of earning Silver gave them plenty of energy, even under the scorching sun.

On this day, after Shen Ningning had studied for two hours, the mad scholar allowed her to go out for a stroll.

The little girl took the Black Wolf King and the wolf pack to check on her plot of land.

Her loquat fruits had already been harvested by Uncle Liu and the others to be made into syrup. She believed it wouldn’t be long before she received a sum of Silver.

Shen Ningning mentally calculated the money she had on her.

The Aconite from last time had sold for nine hundred taels. She originally had some more Silver she’d saved in the Immortal Realm, but she’d spent most of it treating the mad scholar.

She only had nine hundred taels of Silver now. It probably wasn’t enough to buy more Jade.

’I’ll just have to save up some more!’

The little girl looked around, and seeing no one nearby, she slipped into the Immortal Realm.

She brought out a bucket of Spiritual Spring Water and used it to water her loquat trees.

Just then, the Black Wolf King gently tapped her on the back with its paw from behind.

"Awoo~"

It was telling her something was stuck to her back.

"Hmm?" Shen Ningning put down the bucket and twisted her head to look at her back, but she couldn’t see what was stuck there.

She patted the back of her clothes with her small hand, only to see a head-sized dark cloud slowly rise into the air from behind her.

"Huh? When did I bring a dark cloud out with me?"